Carolina Cup Week is Here!

Carolina Cup Week is Here!

The wait is over.

With the annual spring pilgrimage to North Carolina's Wrightsville Beach well underway, festivities have already begun at the 7th Annual West Marine Carolina Cup–the unofficial season opener to the 2017 SUP racing season.

While the big race is not until Saturday, paddling enthusiasts will have plenty to see and do during the Carolina Cup festival taking place April 19-23. Attractions include a full demo zone, clinics, athlete autograph sessions and more during this week-long celebration of standup paddling.

It all leads up to the East Coast's flagship SUP race, where hundreds of amateur and professional paddlers will test their mettle against each other and the grueling winds and currents this course is known for.

For the pros, their assignment will be the Graveyard Race. Just as menacing as it sounds, this 13-mile slog around the island favors paddlers in peak physical fitness and those able to power through long stretches of dreaded upwind conditions.

The storylines for the race are plentiful: Will Annabel win five in a row? Can Michael Booth continue his meteoric rise as a top SUP racer? Will Danny Ching return to the top step of the podium in Carolina after recent finishes of second and third, respectively? Will Titouan Puyo be able to replicate his surprise triumph from last year?

SUP Magazine will be on location in Wrightsville Beach where we will attempt to answer those questions and many more. For those at home, we will be using Facebook Live to not only broadcast parts of the race, including the start and finish, but also to highlight the demo zone so our fans can feel like they are part of the action.

As always, stay tuned to SUP magazine for complete coverage of the Carolina Cup including an in-depth preview, recap, and photo gallery so you don't miss a thing. See you on the water!